Students Advance Their Academic Growth in Turkey

From:
News & Events

Published:
January 23, 2013

Start Date: none

End Date: none

Location: none

Students Advance Their Academic Growth in Turkey

Publication Date:

August 13, 2018

Category:

Press Releases

Six students and three faculty members from Hamad Bin Khalifa University’s (HBKU) College of Islamic Studies (CIS) have embarked on a number of academic development opportunities at Turkey’s Istanbul Sabahattin Zaim University (IZU) this summer.
The Turkish institute signed a partnership with HBKU – a member of Qatar Foundation (QF) - during the 2017-18 academic year to further cooperation in graduate education. The two universities share an agreement that supports the exchange of students, in particular those specializing in the fields of Islamic sciences, economics and finance.

A delegation of six CIS students, led by Dr. Mohamed Evren Tok, Assistant Professor and Assistant Dean for Innovation and Community Advancement, CIS; Dr. Louay Safi, Professor of Public Policy in Islam; and Dr. Mu'taz Alkhatib, Assistant Professor of Methodology and Ethics, joined their international peers at the Center for Islam and Global Affairs (CIGA) Summer School Program held at IZU from July 25 July-5 August.

Participating students engaged in an interchange of ideas and values on a wide range of academic topics, including spiritual growth, intellectual development and public activism.
“The CIGA Summer School Leadership Development Program extensively explored the evolution of the sociopolitical environment in which Muslim communities in the West have found themselves since the turn of the century,” said Dr. Tok said.
“Ultimately, the program aimed to inculcate critical thinking and leadership skills, as well as a strategic understanding of the complex issues affecting Muslims in the participants, so that they may effectively influence and lead their respective communities to a promising future. We look forward to building on this cooperation with IZU in future and welcoming our Turkish colleagues to HBKU in order to expand our shared range of graduate capacity-building.”

Ardela Hyka, who is currently pursuing a Master of Arts In Islamic Studies degree in the Islamic Civilization and Societies concentration, said: "Experiencing the CIGA Summer School within a wholly new cultural and educational environment taught me a lot about cultivating personal leadership qualities, particularly with a view towards one's background and individual abilities.
“Witnessing some of Istanbul's magnificent sites underlined this further as we found ourselves in a world metropolis that carries a rich history of political and religious leadership.

“Coupled with some of the practical components of the summer school, these experiences gave me a deeper understanding of this critical subject matter to carry forward in my studies at CIS."

Two professors from the College of Islamic Studies (CIS) at Hamad Bin Khalifa University (HBKU), a member of Qatar Foundation, recently travelled to Kerala, India, where they delivered a series of lectures on Contemporary Fiqh and Comparative Religions to undergraduate and graduate students